[Editor's Note: Each week leading up to the College Football Playoffs at AT&T Stadium, we will profile a different FBS athlete with ties to our local schools. The CFP National Championship is Jan. 12]

CAM MCDANIEL

As a star running back at Coppell High School, Cam McDaniel often caught the attention of fans around the Dallas area.

But during his junior season at Notre Dame one play caught the attention of the college football nation. In last season’s game against Southern California, McDaniel carried the ball through tackles and on his way down had his helmet ripped off. It was a routine play but camera’s caught McDaniel with a helmet-less smirk across his place in the most photogenic football play ever.

The photo went viral but it wasn’t his looks that got McDaniel a starting role with the Fighting Irish. At Coppell he was coached by Joe McBride who called McDaniel a “war horse” due to his 1,906 rushing yards as a senior in 2010.

"Growing up in Texas, I've always been a Texas Longhorn, so now that the recruiting process has started and all these different schools have come to me I've tried to open my blinds up and get perspective on things and see what all these schools have to offer,” McDaniel told The Dallas Morning News before his senior season.

He led Dallas area 5A players in scoring with 37 touchdowns that season and also committed to Notre Dame. He saw playing time on the special teams unit as a freshman and had a touchdown as a sophomore in 2012 with the FIghtin Irish but his breakout season came in 2013.

He played in every game and led the Irish in carries (152) and rushing yards (705). After being a member of the 2012 team that appeared in the National Championship, McDaniel and his Notre Dame teammates are hoping they can make a return trip in 2014 by making making a run at the College Football Playoff, which will be in Arlington at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 12.